Legal ethics and professional responsibility are critical elements in the legal profession. They establish the rules and standards for lawyers, and give an ethical framework for a variety of issues and situations. The following research guide may prove helpful in doing research in this area.
The main text for professional responsibility within the legal profession can be found in the American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct. These rules were adopted in 1983 and have been modified frequently since then. These rules replaced the Model Code of Professional Responsibility which was adopted in 1969. The rules can be found in a number of resources, both in print and electronically. These rules have been adopted by 47 states. The exceptions are California and Maine, which have adopted neither the Model Rules nor Model Code, and New York which continues to use the older Model Code.
The ABA maintains a page for the Model Rules
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